The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for inserting components or parts such as electronic parts and the like and more particularly, to a part inserting apparatus arranged to hold parts separated from a specific continuous part group, by part holding members circulated for displacement so as to be transported up to positions of part inserting heads and supplied to said inserting heads for effecting insertion of said parts onto an electronic circuit board, etc.
At present, the part inserting apparatus as referred to above is used for an automatic part inserting machine for inserting electronic parts into predetermined openings of an electronic circuit board, etc.
By way of example, electronic parts such as capacitors, resistors, transistors, etc. may be broadly divided into two types, i.e., an axial type electronic part in which lead wires are led out on the same axis, and a radial type electronic part having lead wires led out in parallel relation with each other. The axial type electronic part can be inserted onto the electronic circuit board only after its lead wires led out to the opposite sides of its main body have both been folded to the same side, whereas the radial type electronic part may be inserted onto the electronic circuit board as it is since the lead wires thereof are originally led out therefrom in the parallel relation.
Both of the above electronic parts are further divided respectively into many kinds, and thus, it is also required to provide more than one hundred kinds of both parts in total for selective feeding, depending on necessity.
Conventionally, with respect to the electronic parts of the above described types, it has been a general practice that the parts of the different inserting types are inserted by separate apparatuses. On the other hand, it has also been attempted to deal with the electronic parts of both types of one apparatus, in which means necessary for inserting the respective parts are provided in pairs so as to correspond to the electronic parts of the respective types.
Meanwhile, as a part supplying method in the part inserting apparatus of the above described type, it has been so arranged that a large number of part holding members for holding and transferring the electronic parts are arranged on an endless belt so as to be circulated for displacement between a separated part delivering position at which the specific separated parts are caused to be held by said part holding members and a predetermined part handling means for supplying said parts thus held.
By handling such electronic parts of different inserting types with separate apparatuses for insertion, respective apparatuses may be reduced in size, with less trouble in handling of parts, but due to the fact that at least two apparatuses must be employed for the purpose, installation cost is undesirably raised, with a simultaneous increase in the working space required. Moreover, since it is also necessary to transfer electronic circuit boards from one apparatus to the other, not only is the working efficiency lowered, but it becomes difficult to make proper positional adjustments between the original positions for insertion of axial electronic parts and that for insertion of radial electronic parts in the electronic circuit boards to be dealt with.
On the other hand, in the arrangement in which electronic parts of both types are handled in one apparatus, although the problems involved in the use of the two apparatuses as described above may be solved, since it is required to provide respective means necessary for the part insertion in pairs to correspond to the electronic parts of the respective inserting types, the apparatus tends to be complicated and increased in size.
Meanwhile, as an endless belt to circulate the part holding members for displacement in the conventional part inserting apparatuses, a chain has normally been employed from the aspect of correct transfer timing and favorable durability. However, even the chain referred to above tends to be gradually elongated in proportion to the working time, resulting in such drawbacks as loosening in its stretched state, variations in the pitch thereof and also in the interval or pitch between the part holding members supported thereby.
Because the defects as described above, when the part holding members circulated for displacement deliver or receive the separated parts in predetermined positional relation or timing with respect to the separated part delivering means or working means to be supplied with the parts which are disposed around the circulating passage, the positional relation or timing therebetween is undesirably varied, thus giving rise to such inconveniences as unstable delivery and reception of the separated parts, or damage to the parts or delivering and receiving mechanisms therefor due to unsmooth delivery or reception.
In order to avoid the inconveniences as described above, it is necessary to adjust the tensioned state of the chain or positions of the separated part delivering means and working means, etc. after each operation for a predetermined period of time, but such adjustments are too troublesome to be effected frequently, and are liable to cause other troubles.